• Creates the Cooper Jones Bicycle Safety Advisory Council for the purpose of reducing and eventually eliminating bicycle-related injuries and fatalities in the state.
• The Cooper Jones Act, back in the 1990s, is based on a child (Cooper Jones in Spokane) who was killed in a collision with a car while riding a bike.
• The Cooper Jones Act mandated that we teach bicycle safety in our TSE programs.
Notice that SB 5402 also has a companion bill in the House. That means that the House is considering the same bill at the same time. This “fast tracks” the bill, increasing the possibility that it makes it through the process in one session.
• Replaces current laws that prohibit use of a hand-held cellular phone and texting while driving with a prohibition on a driver using a personal electronic device with his or her hands while driving to conduct a range of activities other than the minimal use of a finger to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function of the device.
• Provides for exceptions to prohibited personal electronic device usage for contacting emergency services, specified uses by transit system employees, and activities that are federally authorized for commercial motor vehicle drivers.
• Preempts local laws that restrict the use of electronic devices while driving.
• Doubles the penalty amount due for personal electronic device use infractions for second and subsequent offenses.
WTSEA’s Position: WTSEA supports SB 5829/HB 1371
SB 5153 - 2017-18
Requiring proof of financial responsibility before the issuance of vehicle registrations. Sponsors: Fain, Liias, Hobbs, Zeiger
Prohibits the department of licensing from issuing an original or renewal vehicle registration unless the applicant attests to having, and provides proof of meeting, the financial responsibility requirements for operating a motor vehicle.
WTSEA’s Position: WTSEA has not taken an official position. WTSEA’s legislative liaison recommends this bill go forward.
Changes the length of time that a driver's instruction permit is valid from one year to eighteen months and authorizes the department of licensing to issue one additional permit for eighteen months.
Requires the holder of an intermediate license to: (1) Have possessed a valid instruction permit for a period of not less than one year; and (2) Not have been convicted of or found to have committed a traffic violation within the last twelve months before the application for the intermediate license.
WTSEA’s Position: WTSEA has not taken an official position. But, there is some concern that extending the permit period to one year may have the negative effect of causing some young drivers to wait until age 18, and skip taking TSE altogether. The bill appears to be dead for this session. It has not been scheduled for Executive Session in the committee.
HB 1157 - 2017-18
Modifying the operation of motorcycles on roadways laned for traffic. Sponsors: MacEwen, Stanford, Haler
Establishes the lane sharing for safety act. Allows an operator of a motorcycle to:
(1) Overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken; and
(2) Operate the motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles if the motorcycle is traveling at a rate of speed no more than ten miles per hour over the speed of traffic flow and not more than thirty- five miles per hour.
WTSEA’s Position: WTSEA opposes this bill. The bill appears to be dead for this session. It has not been scheduled for a public hearing.
Changes the amount of alcohol concentration allowed from 0.08 to 0.05.
WTSEA’s Position: WTSEA has not taken an official position. The bill appears to be dead for this session. It has not been scheduled for a public hearing.
Changes the term "driving a vehicle in a reckless manner while attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle" to "driving a vehicle in a reckless manner in an attempt to elude a police vehicle" to clarify the crime of attempting to elude a police vehicle.
WTSEA’s Position: WTSEA has not taken an official position. The bill appears to be dead for this session. It has not been scheduled for a public hearing.
WTSEA’s Position: WTSEA has not taken an official position. The bill appears to be dead for this session. There has been no bill digest or bill analysis filed. It has not been scheduled for a public hearing.